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SAN
MARINO, Calif.—Following a national search, The Huntington Library, Art
Collections, and Botanical Gardens has named Catherine Allgor, Ph.D.,
its Nadine and Robert A. Skotheim Director of Education. Allgor is an
acclaimed professor of history at the University of California,
Riverside. She joins the Huntington staff Feb. 1, 2013.

Allgor
takes the helm from Susan Lafferty, who stepped down from her position
in August to pursue a doctoral degree in education.

Allgor
has been at UCR since 2001 and has established herself as a leading
historian of first ladies. She is known for her scholarly work on Dolley
Madison, Abigail Adams, and Louisa Adams, among others, and is a
frequent commentator on television and in other media on issues having
to do with the role of the first lady. Her 2006 book, A Perfect Union: Dolley Madison and the Creation of the American Nation, served as the basis for the film “Dolley Madison,” produced by PBS for its American Experience series.

“The
education program at The Huntington is at a pivotal point,” says
Huntington president Steve Koblik. “We find ourselves in the enviable
position of having a spectacularly talented education team doing some
very exciting, innovative work. Catherine comes to us with key insights
into education, and with high energy, creativity, and the drive to take
us to the next level.”

At The Huntington, Allgor will be
responsible for nearly 20 staff members working on a range of projects,
from school tours to teacher training to school partnerships with the
Pasadena Unified and Los Angeles Unified School Districts. She will also
oversee more than a thousand volunteers, including 400 docents who
provide enrichment for students and adult visitors touring the art,
botanical, and library collections as well as select temporary
exhibitions.

"I am proud and honored to be joining an
institution as distinguished as The Huntington Library,” she said.
“Education is at the heart of The Huntington's mission, and I look
forward to building on the amazing work of Sue Lafferty and her staff.”

Allgor’s
accomplishments at UCR are numerous; most recently she held a
three-year UC Presidential Chair appointment, from 2009 to 2012, given
only to select, distinguished members of the university's faculty. In
her position, she has created and taught numerous courses on women’s
history, American history, the history of race and slavery, and
political history at both graduate and undergraduate levels. Beyond
campus, Allgor has worked in various Southern California school
districts, leading teacher workshops to improve teaching focusing on new
trends in history, education, and innovative teaching techniques.

She
frequently is called on to participate in teacher training institutes
nationwide, has consulted at numerous museums, and has provided advice
to the White House, the U.S. Mint, and the National Portrait Gallery,
among others. In addition, she serves on the James Madison Memorial
Fellowship Foundation, a presidential commission that funds teachers in
their pursuit of advanced degrees.

Before joining the
faculty at Riverside, Allgor taught at Claremont McKenna College,
Harvard University, and Simmons College. She began her career as an
actor and interpreter at Plimoth Plantation in Plymouth, Mass., where,
in historical character, she worked as a first-person interpreter.

She
holds an associate degree in theatre arts from Bucks County Community
College in Newtown, Penn., a bachelor’s degree in history from Mt.
Holyoke College, and two master’s degrees and a doctorate in history
from Yale University.

About The HuntingtonThe
Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens is a
collections-based research and educational institution serving scholars
and the general public. More information about The Huntington can be
found online at huntington.org.

About The Huntington

The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens is a collections-based research and educational institution established in 1919 by Henry E. and Arabella Huntington. Henry Huntington, a key figure in the...